Heart
by annie4518
Summary: The war is over and Snape lives, but he's not really living. Hermione has gone back for her 7th year but she can't forget the terrible things that happened to her during the war. How do the help each other heal?
1. Chapter 1

_HI, this is my first fan-fiction. I have read a ton of it and I love the thought of Severus Snape and Hermione Granger together. In my fic, Sev maybe just a little OOC. It's after the war after all. _

_Please review(: and ask questions if you have any _

Severus Snape walked the empty halls of Hogwarts, on his way up the Astronomy tower. He had always loved that tower, even when he was student. Now after all the years and despite the memories they held, he still love the tower. He made his way to the edge and looked out, the view was just as magnificent as it always had been. The great lake sparkled under the moonlight and he could see just the edge of the forbidden forest. He sighed and leaned against the wall.

The war had been over for just over a year and he had spent the first six months in St. Mungo's hospital. He thanked his lucky stars that the potion he had been drinking for past month before the bite had been working. He was now called a war hero, but he didn't feel like one. He felt like a broken man and didn't know how to get on with life, without two masters telling him what to do. Sometimes he wished that he had been left for dead, and other times he was grateful for the one who went back and saved him.

Hermione Granger.

Just her name made his body shake and sent a chill all over. He vaguely remembered how he was left in the shirking shack by himself to die. He remember how she softly told him it was going to be alright and how she held her hand against his neck. He softly brushed his fingers over the healing marks on his neck. He could also remember the way she had smelled, of freesia and sunshine. He had focused on her smell and her soft hands being soaked by his blood, instead of the pain. He remembered how she sent her Patronus to get help.

He closed his eyes and let the wind blow against his face. He was so deep in thought he didn't hear the soft footsteps of another person entering the tower.

**%%%**

Hermione Granger couldn't sleep. She had placed silencing charms placed around her bed to block out the chatter, but that still wasn't working. She kept flashing back to when she was in the Malfoy Manor. She still had a shake to her hands from the Cruciatus curse, but that wasn't the memory she couldn't forget. It wasn't even the worst thing that happened to her that day. What haunted her the most was when Bellatrix let the other Death Eaters have fun with her. It had been anything but fun. They had used her and did things to her body that should have never been done.

Shaking the memories from her head, she pushed back the covers, pulled on some jeans and a jacket, and had made her way from the Gryffindor tower. She padded softly up the stairs to the Astronomy tower. She didn't hate that tower as some did. She often went up there when she couldn't sleep or just needed to get away from people.

As Hermione made her way up the steps she saw a black figure standing against the wind. For a moment she frozen, and the dark memories plagued her. She had to force herself to breath normally. She stood there watching him, taking him all in.

She paced over him gently, not wanting to scare him. Ever since she had been back at Hogwarts, she had seen him in a different light. She felt a connection to him now, and she had an idea he felt it too. When they were in class he had seemed to drawn towards her. He would stand behind her as she stirred her potions, or when he was lecturing his eyes would catch her and seem to soften. As sensing her, he spoke.

"What are you doing out of bed at this hour?" He drawled softly, in that silky voice of his.

"I-I couldn't sleep." She said, as she walked to stand beside him. She hadn't been this close to him in a while. She felt sense of calming, by just being near him.

"It's dangerous to be out by yourself." He said as he looked down at her. He could smell her hair, and it brought back his memory of her helping him.

"I'm not by myself technically…sir." She looked up at him and smiled. She could see the faint smile he was trying to hide.

"I think we are past sir, don't you?" He said a little more harshly then he meant too. He felt her shrink away from him.

She tried to speak, but she couldn't from the lump around her throat. She mentally kicked herself, and nodded her head. She reached her hand to push a curl away from her face. She could feel his eyes on her hand. He reached out and grabbed for it, but she pulled it away fiercely and backed up against the wall and closed her eyes. She was shaking all over and trying to tell herself in to breathe in and out.

Severus was at lost for what had just happened. He could see her shaking and almost not breathing. He took a gentle step towards her.

"Mis- Hermione, I'm not going to hurt you." He said quietly. Hearing her first name come from his lips she slowly opened her eyes.

"I- I-…" She tried to speak but she couldn't form the words, he seemed to understand though. He reached out to her and gently laid a hand on her shoulder. She didn't turn away from him, but almost leaned in. He put his other hand on her shoulder and gently moved her closer to him. She went into his arms willingly, burring her head in his chest and begin to sob.

Severus didn't know what to do, he wrapped both of his arms around her and her close to him. He gently put his head on top of hers and breathed in. He really did love Freesias. After a moment he pulled away from her.

"Who hurt you?" He asked, and saw how she tensed up.

"…The Death Eaters...at the Malfoy Manor." She said as she buried her head into his chest again. That made his blood run cold. He knew of what Bellatrix did to her, but not about this. He wrapped his arms tighter around her.

"They are gone now, none of them can get to you again." He said. He felt her shake her heard, trying to calm herself. He held her close and let her get herself together. All too soon, she pulled away from and almost smiled.

"You didn't have to comfort me." Almost embarrassed about how hard she cried.

"I- I wanted too, you were there for me." He said softly and darkly. She nodded her head and turned to leave. Before she was almost out of sight she heard him speak.

"Next time, come find me. Don't wonder all the way up here." He told her. She nodded and left the tower.

**%%%**

After she left the tower, he worked his way down to his dungeons. He was trying to process all that had happed. For his sanity he didn't want to believe that she had said, but he knew it had to be true. People just didn't act like that.

He made his way into quarters and into his bedroom. As he got ready for bed he kept thinking of her in his arms. It had felt good to be that close to someone else.

As he laid down in his bed, he thought and knew what he had to do.

For the rest of his life, he would protect her from anything and everything. Even if he had to kill or steal, he would do it.


	2. Chapter 2

**Hi everybody, I hoped you enjoyed the first chapter. I am looking for a Beta reader so if anyone is interested please pm me(:**

**A little note about this chapter:**

**Draco and Goyle and Crabbe go back to finsh their 7****th**** year because their parents make them. And Draco is still bad in this fic. **

**It does get kind of dark, but there is are really sweet moment so don't hate me. Things will start to look up soon(: **

**Read and Please review! **

She was having one of the worst days of her life. And to top it off it was sleeting outside. The freezing rain always made her hands shake worse than they already did.

Even though the war was over, there was still house rivalry and today it seemed to be worse, because everybody seemed to be in the mood to fight. Sighing to herself she made her way into the potions classroom. She was one of the first to arrive, and Professor Snape wasn't in the classroom yet.

As Hermione started taking out what she needed for the class she heard a cold voice.

"I can't believe, even after the war, they still let Mudbloods into Hogwarts." Draco Malfoy said. His cronies Crabbe and Goyle cackled behind her.

She fought back the tears that were trying to escape. _Pull yourself together, you've heard worse._ She thought to herself just as the crew came up behind her.

"Even for a Mudblood, she sure is pretty." Crabbe said tugging on her hair. Hermione pulled it out of his hand and kept looking straight forward. _Don't let them see you cry Granger_. She thought even though a tear escaped.

"'Maybe we could have some fun later, doll face." Malfoy said in a hate filled voice.

Just at that moment Professor Snape came into the classroom, and Malfoy and his gang went to their seats.

As he looked around the room Severus eyes landed on Hermione. He was actually looking forward to NEWT level class today, but seeing the frightened look on her face, he quickly changed his mind. His eyes lingered on her, and that's when he heard them.

"I wonder how good in bed that Mudblood whore would be." Goyle said and Draco and Crabbe laughed and made crude hand gestures in Hermione direction.

"Malfoy, Crabbe and Doyle, detention tonight with filch for the next week. I have told you not to use that word." Snape said as his eyes roamed back to Hermione. He could see she was trying to pull herself together. As he tried to control his anger, he flung his hand towards the chalkboard and the instructions appeared on the board.

"Work silently." He ordered the class, and he began to move around the classroom. He stopped at several students' desks before he could make his way to the back of the classroom. He slowly made his way behind Hermione's desk.

As soon as she felt him behind she felt relived. Somewhere deep inside she knew he would protect her no matter what.

"Professor, I need help." A student called from the middle of the classroom. Snape glanced at Malfoy's table and snapped his eyes at Hermione. Her eyes told him everything he needed to know. She didn't want him to move. He didn't have a choice, and he told himself that he would be close if she needed him.

As soon as his back was turned, a note flew to her table.

_"We will see you later." _ Was all it said. She got up and threw into the trash can.

"Is there a problem Miss Granger?" Snape asked. He asked her as she made her way back to sit down.

"Um…No sir. I needed to throw something away." Hermione said nervously as she glanced at Malfoy.

She knew that Snape saw her look over there, but he hid it well.

"Very well, class dismissed." He said as the other students packed up their things.

"Miss Granger, a word?" He said before she could leave. She slowly packed up and waited till the others had left.

She approached his desk silently, she knew that she looked up at him she would start crying.

"I meant it last night, if you need me come find me." Severus said softly. Hermione nodded and left the classroom, looking back as she left.

That evening Hermione sat in the library all alone. It was times like these she missed Ron and Harry the most. She hated how lonely and depressed she felt. Sighing, she glanced at the time. It was almost midnight. She thought about what had happened earlier today. Even though she was used to hearing the word Mudblood it didn't get any easier. She closed the book she was reading and made her way out of the library. She was almost the Gryffindor common room when a thought came to her.

_Well, he did say if I needed him I could go find him. And I did have an awful day. _She made her way to her room and put her bag down. She made her towards the dungeons then.

Hermione had almost made it to his private quarters, when she heard footsteps behind her. She turned around but didn't see anybody. She was about to knock on his door when somebody grabbed her from behind and spun her around.

"Let me go!" She yelled as she kicked and tried to punch whoever had hold of her.

"Well, if it isn't our pretty little Mudblood." Malfoy said and Crabbe and Goyle held her up to the wall. Draco ran his hand over her body. She shuddered and tried to move away from him but the other two boys held her tighter.

"I said let me go!" Hermione yelled, hoping that Professor Snape would hear her. Luck had to be on her side because at that moment he appeared from around out of a hallway.

"I suggest you listen to her or there will be hell to pay." Snape drawled softly. At the same time he said that Crabbe and Goyle let go of her as if she was on fire, and all three boys ran.

Hermione had fallen to the floor and began crying, clutching her wrist to her chest. Snape walked over to her and helped her up. She leant into him as he walked them to his living room.

Once he had her seated on the couch, he made sure the wards where in place and sat down next to her.

"Are you alright?" He asked softly and he gently took her injured hand in his. He looked at it, took his wand out and ran it over her hand, making it well again.

"Thank you." She said quietly. She looked down at their hands still touching. He squeezed it gently and let go.

"Why are you down here so late?" He questioned her.

"I- I just had a bad day and you said if I n-n-need you, I could come find you." Hermione said as tears ran down her face.

"Hey, it's okay I meant it." He said. He started to put his arm around her to comfort her but then halted. She saw and leaned into his side and his arm came around her. She sniffled and started to calm down.

"Hermione, why did they do that?" He asked softly. He felt her tense and start crying again.

"Their…Their…fathers…they…raped me." She said in a panic. Snape froze. He looked down at the young woman in his arms. She really was beautiful, even if she was broken and crying in his living room. Neither of them said anything else. He felt that when she cried herself to sleep. He brushed the hair out of her face and leant down and place a soft kiss on her forehead. He settled back into the couch and closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep.


End file.
